II. Tso Chiu Ming
If Chuang Tse is remembered for his originality, for his bold, free play of imagination, and for his picturing of the fabulous and quixotic, Tso Chiu Ming is revered in the Chinese literary world for his mastery of characterization, his unexcelled forceful style, his polished, flowery language, and his elevation of story telling to heights unsurpassed either by his contemporaries or in later generations.
Among the many works attributed to Confucius, there is a chronology of the state of Lu for the period known as the Spring and Autumn (722-484 B.C.). Three writers elected themselves to make annotations of the chronology of Confucius. Two of these, Kung Yang and Ku Yang, were interested in interpreting the Master's intentions, while Tso Chiu Ming in his work entitled Tso Chuan concerned himself with anecdotes of the events and the personalities enacting the events.
Not much is known of the life of Tso Chiu Ming except that he was blind in one eye. Nor if, it possible to ascertain the exact time Tso lived in with any degree of certainty. There is strong indication, however, that he did not outlive the Spring and Autumn period (484 B.C.) very long. Toward the end of Tso Chuan, the author showed a failing of his abilities so much so that there is a belief that what was written for the reign of Ai Kung, the last of the Lu Dukes of the Spring and Autumn era, was the work of a later scholar. Whether the difference in the quality of writing was due to senility of the author, or to an imitation by a later scholar owing to the early demise of the author, it arrives at the same conclusion that the author could not possibly have lived long after 484 B.C.
To appreciate fully the accomplishments of Tso Chiu Ming, one has to have some idea of the age he was writing about. The Chou Dynasty was founded by Emperor Wu in 1122 B.C. after his conquest of' Emperor Chou of the Shang Dynasty. After a short reign of only six years, his son succeeded him to become know as Emperor Cheng. The latter emperor was assisted by his able brother; Duke of Chou. Among the many things the duke did was to introduce feudalism. His idea was to seek security for the reigning royal house by resting its base on a broad system of feudal lords. However, by the time of the Spring and Autumn the Chou emperor had lost much of his former power and the feudal lords had become stronger and stronger. Fighting among themselves was not infrequent, and a strong state would often take over the land of its weak neighbor so that not many more than a few scores had been left from the original eight hundred feudal lords upon whom land and titles were conferred at the beginning of the Chou Dynasty. To the Chou emperor most of the lords at the time of the Spring and Autumn still rendered homage. But in their own domains, regardless whether their titles be a duke (公), a marquis (侯), an earl (伯), a viscount (子), or a baron (男), the ruler of every state enjoyed all the prerogatives of a king and was treated with all the respect due to royalty.
The existence of so many states and the frequent warfare among them made it necessary to have emissaries traveling to neighboring states or from country to country for the purpose of making observations or smoothing up relations among the states. Therefore, there had gradually come into existence a class of people versed in protocol and endowed with natural eloquence. This profession came to its full development in the Era of Contending States, which followed closely the Spring and Autumn. The best asset for making such a living was the gift of eloquence. Many such emissaries and their missions are recorded in Tso Chuan, of which the following are most typical:
Duke Hsiao of Chi invaded the State of Lu. Duke Hsi of Lu directed Chan Hsi to give a reception to the invading troops but first to get his instructions from Chan Chin. Chan Hsi, after doing so, met the Duke, of Chi before the latter had entered the territory of Lu and addressed him as follows: "My King, upon learning that Your Majesty has personally deigned to grace our humble country with your presence, has instructed your humble subject to entertain your staff.
"Are the people of Lu terrified?" the Duke of Chi asked.
"The small men are, but the superior men, are not."
"Your houses are like empty jars; your countryside grows not even grass. What do you rely on to keep you from being afraid?
''We rely on the order of our former Emperor Cheng. In former days, Duke Chou and Duke Tai assisted the House of Chou and served as ministers to Emperor Cheng. Emperor Cheng rewarded them and swore them to an oath saying, 'Our sons and heirs shall generation after generation not do harm to each other.' This is kept in the Ministry of Records under the charge of the official Tai Sze. In continuance of Duke Tai's deeds, Duke Huan gathered the lords together, reconciled those among them who had differences with each other, corrected those who were in error, and gave succor to those who suffered from, disasters. When you succeeded to the dukedom, the hopes of the lords were upon you, for they expected that you would carryon the good deeds of Duke Huan. For this reason, we were so bold as not to mend our defenses nor marshal our forces, for we asked ourselves: 'How can it be possible that after only nine years of his succession, he would overlook the order of the Emperor and become negligent of his duty. How can he face his ancestors after this?' We know you will not do that. We, therefore, are not afraid." Whereupon the Duke of Chi left without pressing his invasion of Lu.
Another account in the following will suffice to show how effective such rational, persuasion was with the noblemen of the time who were educated in the lore of noblesse oblige and other qualities of high nobility.
The Marquis of Tsin and the Earl of Chin surrounded the State of Cheng for Cheng's discourtesy to Tsin and breaking faith with Chu. The Tsin troops were quartered at Han Ling, and the Chin troops at Fan Nan. Yi Chih Hu (a high official of Cheng) said to the Earl of Cheng: "The country is in great danger. If you would send Chu Chih Wu to see the chief of Chin, the latter would of a certainty withdraw his forces." The Earl acted upon this suggestion and sent for Chu Chih Wu, but the latter refused to go, saying: "Even when I was strong, I was no equal of others. Now that I am an old man, I am afraid I cannot be of any use."
"It is my fault," said the Earl; "that I could not make use of your services early and have to call on you in the present emergency. But if Cheng should be vanquished, it win bring no profit to you either."
Whereupon Chu agreed to go and was let down the city wall by a rope at night. He met the Earl of Chin and said: "Chin and Tsin have surrounded Cheng. Cheng knows what fate is in store for it. If vanquishing Cheng will benefit Chin, it may be worthwhile for your forces to take the trouble. But to annex a distant place across another state is a difficulty that should be well known to you. Why should you destroy Cheng just to profit your neighbor? In the end, your neighbor's gain will be your loss. On the other hand, if you would leave off Cheng and keep it as the host in your east, it can supply the needs of your emissaries when they pass through back and forth. This should be no harm to you.
"You must recall that you once did a favor to the ruler of Tsin, for which he promised you the counties of Chiao and Hsia across the River Tsi. But after he had crossed the river in the morning, he mended the defenses of the two counties the same evening. This going back on his own words by the Duke of Tsin should be known to you. Moreover, there is no limit to Tsin's aspirations. After it has expanded its eastern border at Cheng's expense, it will want to expand its western border. But unless it can vanquish Chin, how can it realize its aspirations? If vanquishing Chin will only benefit Tsin, it should provide you with material to ponder."
The Earl of Chin was pleased with Chu's words and made peace with Cheng. He then returned home after leaving Chi Tse, Fung sun, and Yung Sun to garrison Cheng. Tse Fan (minister of Tsin) requested permission to attack the Chin garrisons, but the Marquis of Tsin said: "No. Without the Earl of Chin's help, I would not be what I am. To use his help and yet do him harm is not kind. Associating with the wrong man is not wise. It bespeaks no bravery if we go off in confusion from the orderly way in which we came. I may as well be going." He also left the state of Cheng.
Tso Chiu Ming's favorite character is an upright, courageous, and intelligent man who can extricate himself from a difficult situation through eloquence and win the respect of the adversary. The following story is typical of the many he narrates:
The people of Tsin returned Prince Ku Cheng of Chu and the corpse of Lien Yin Hsiang Lao as ransom for Chih Yung. As Sheung Shou was the prime minister (of Tsin), the people of Chu felt obliged to consent to the exchange.
Bidding farewell, to Chi Yung, the King of Chu asked: "Do you bear a grudge against me?"
"In the war between our two countries," he answered, "because of my inability, I failed to discharge my duties successfully and was consequently captured by your troops; that you did not have me killed and use my blood to consecrate the battle drum or send me back to my country to be executed is a favor to me. I have only my inability to blame, how dare I bear a grudge against anyone?"
"Then, do you feel obligated to me? asked the king.
"For the sake of their respective governments and in order to relieve the suffering of their people, the two countries have mutually seen fit to forget their grievances and release their prisoners of war to promote friendly relations. Your humble subject was no party to the efforts of the two countries in seeking to promote their friendship. Why should I feel obligated?"
"When you return home," asked the King again, "how would you show your gratitude to me?
"Your humble subject bears no grievance against Your Majesty," he answered, "nor is Your Majesty releasing me as a favor. When there is neither grievance nor favor, I fail to see why I should show gratitude."
"Come, come," said the King, "you must tell me how you feel toward me."
"If by your grace," he answered, "your captured subject may be repatriated to Tsin and my King should deem it fit to kill me for my failure. I shall meet my death with gratitude to you. If through your grace, I were pardoned and handed over to my father and my father in turn should request permission from my King to put me to death in my ancestors' temple, I would also die with gratitude to you. But if my father's request were denied, and I were asked to carryon the office of my forefathers by continuing my military duties, I will not dare avoid your lieutenants in battle in the event I should be ordered to lead my country's troops in defense of the borders of Tsin. Indeed, I shall fight to death so as to fulfill my duty to my King. This is how I would show gratitude to you."
Deeply moved, the King said: "There would be no way to fight against Tsin." Whereupon he sent Chih Yung home, according him full honors.
Mencius said: "After Confucius had completed the writing of the 'Spring and Autumn.' the rebellious subjects and evil sons became alarmed." If this were true of the laconic chronology of Confucius, it could be much more so of Tso's stories, in which most of the evil characters come to a bad end. Following is an account of incidents leading up to the 'murder of a despot and the story of several good men:
"King Lin of Tsin acted unbecoming of a King. He levied heavy taxes for the building of decorative palace walls. As a pastime he shot at passers-by from the veranda to Watch how they dodged the shots. For the offense of not having well cooked the bear's paw, he had the chef killed. The dead body was put in a basket and given to a woman to take to the burial ground by way of the court, where it was seen by Chao Tun and Shih Chi (two ministers) with a hand protruding from it. On inquiring, they learned with dismay of what had happened.
Both of them were at the point of entering the palace together to remonstrate with the King, when Shih Chi said: "If we remonstrate at the same time and are not heeded, no one would come after us. Please let me enter first. If I am not heeded, you will please follow."
The King looked at Shih Chi only after the latter had risen three times from where he knelt and come to a place tinder the eaves.
"We know our fault now," the King said, "and will correct it."
Knocking his head on the ground, Shih Chi said: "All men have faults. Virtuous indeed is the man who can correct his. 'There is no one,' saith the Book of Odes, 'that has no beginning. Few, however, succeed till the end.' It thus shows few can correct their faults. If Your Majesty should succeed in the end, not only will your subjects be blessed but also the security of the state will thereby be assured. The same book also says: 'When there is a defect in the royal mantle, only Chung Shan Fu can mend it.' This refers to the good subject of Chung Shan Fu who could correct his emperor's faults. Long will indeed be Your Majesty's reign, if Your Majesty could only correct the faults."
Still the King did not mend his ways. When Chao Tun remonstrated with him often, the King became so angry that he sent Chu Yi to kill him. When Chu Yi arrived at Chao Tun's place in the morning, he found the door leading to Chao's bedchamber already open. Chao himself was in court dress, ready to go to court. But as it was still early, he was sitting on a chair and resting with his eyes closed. Chu Yi went out and said with a sigh: "A man who is ever reverent will become the master of the people. I would be disloyal to the people if I were to murder their master. However, it I was to disobey the King's order, I would be unfaithful. In face of such a dilemma, I have no other choice but death." Whereupon he committed suicide by knocking his head against a locust tree.
In the following autumn, in September, the King entertained Chao Tun and planned to kill him with armed men kept in hiding. Chao's guard, Ti Mi Ming, discovered them and, rushing up, said: "When a subject is in attendance to the King at dinner, it is impolite for him to drink more than three cups." Whereupon he helped Chao to come down. The King set the hound on them. Ming fought and killed it. "When you forsake human beings for a hound," Tun reproached the King, "of what avail is his ferocity? On their way out, Ti Mi Ming was killed in fighting with the King's guards.
It so happened that Chao Tun once hunted on the Shou Mountain and rested under a grove of mulberry trees, He saw Lin Cha lying sick with hunger and asked him what was troubling him. "Haven't eaten for three days," was the reply. He gave him food, but the hungry man took only half of it. When asked of the reason, he explained: "I have been away seeking a living for the last three years, and I don't know whether my mother is still living. Now that I am near home, I beg permission to take this to her." Chao Tun told him and to eat up all the food given him and sent him away with a hamper containing rice and meat.
Later the man became one of the King's guards. Now when Chao Tun was besieged, the man turned his lance against the King's other guards and rescued him. Asked of the reason by Chao Tun, he gave no other answer than "The hungry man of the mulberry grove."
Asked of his name and address, he would not tell but left to go into hiding.
What better man is there than the following who would rather face death than tell his sons to betray their master?
Duke Hui of Tsin died. His successor Duke Hwai decreed that no one should follow the fugitive. It was decreed at the same time that if anyone who did and failed toreturn within a year’s time, his kin would be put to death without fail. The two sons of Hu The, Mao and Yen, followed Chung Erh to the country of Chin. He did not send for them to come home. Duke Hwai had Hu The arrested with the warning: "You will be pardoned only when your sons come home."
"When a son grows old enough to take up an official post," Hu answered, "his father teaches him to be loyal. This was the ancient way. After his name has been registered and after he has joined the service of his master, disloyalty should be attended with penalty. My sons’ names have been registered with Chung Erh for a number of years. If I should send for them, I shall be teaching them disloyalty. How can a father who teaches his son disloyalty serve his king? To mete out punishments moderately is an illustrious virtue for you and the wish of your humble subject. But if punishments are dealt out indiscriminately, who can escape from being penalized? I have duly heard your order." He was killed.